Teen goes on rampage with lorry in JB, two police vehicles totalled

JOHOR BARU: Despite using 16 vehicles, setting up a blockade and firing several warning shots, police were unable to stop a rampaging lorry driven by a 15-year-old boy.

It finally took another lorry – driven by a member of the public – to finally put a stop to the runaway lorry.

In the high-octane incident here early Wednesday (Oct 24), the suspect was finally arrested after a 45-kilometre chase that lasted about 90 minutes.

Police came across and began pursuing the lorry in Taman Setia Indah, and the chase continued to the Tebrau Industrial Area 2 and the Pasir Gudang Highway before the vehicle was finally stopped on Jalan Angkasa Mas 3 here.

Police said that during the pursuit, which started about 4am on Wednesday (Oct 24), the lorry smashed into several police cars and ploughed through a police blockade set up at the Plentong exit of the Pasir Gudang Highway.

Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Shahurinain Jais said police fired three shots into the air but the driver ignored them and continued driving.

"A total of 16 police cars were involved in the chase, with four vehicles from Johor Baru South and 12 others from Seri Alam.

"Two vehicles from Seri Alam were totalled. The first was part of the blockade set up at the Plentong intersection and the second was damaged when the lorry rammed into after it tried to reverse out of a dead end," he said.

He added that the pursuit finally ended after another lorry, driven by a member of the public, helped to block the other vehicle.

ACP Shahurinain said the pursuit took place over a distance of about 45km, with the suspect making many risky turns at speeds of up to 75km/h.

"Luckily, none of our policemen were injured," he said, adding that the suspect injured himself slightly when he stuggled while attempting to get out of handcuffs and escape.

He added that the suspect is now being treated at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital.

"We have not done any urine test on the suspect as he is still in the hospital," he said.

He added that suspect revealed that he only wanted to "test drive" the lorry.

ACP Shahurinain said that the suspect is no longer schooling and does not have a criminal record.